Ireland - FAMOUS PEOPLE 2

Finn Mac Cool

Finn mac Cumaill (formerly Finn or Find Mac Cumail or sometimes pronounced " Finn mac Cool") is a legendary warrior. The stories of Finn and his companions are mainly narrated by the son of Finn, a warrior and poet.
The name Fionn or Finn is actually a nickname meaning " blond (in reference to the color of his hair), beautiful, gold and good race, but also " white, whiteness , purity".

His name was Deimne in his childhood, and according to many legends he changed his name when his hair turned white early. Finn Mc Cool is a historical man.

His mother Muirne left the child under the protection of Bodhmall, a warrior, who raised him in the secret forest of Sliab Bladma, teaching him the art of war and hunting. Growing up he secretly offered his services to local kings. When they discovered that he was the son of Cumhal, they asked him to leave, fearing not being able to protect him from their enemies.

The young Finn met a poet near the river who became his guardian. Finegas - also called Finneces- had spent seven years trying to capture the one who'd eat first the flesh of this fish into possession of all the world's knowledge. He eventually caught it, but it was Finn who first swallowed a piece of flesh by accident, sucking his thumb burned by cooking water. He discovered then how to revenge Goll, and was after able to access the knowledge of the salmon by sucking his thumb.

Finn Mac Cummail was a fearless warrior who liked to fight.

Finn claimed his inheritance
Finn arrived at Tara, armed with a skin bag containing the magical weapons of his father, He kept awake by pricking with the point of his own spear, and then killed Aillen. After that, his legacy was recognized and he took the lead after Goll had withdrawn himself, and had chosen to follow faithfully Finn, although in many stories their alliance is unstable and marked by quarrels.
Finn asked compensation for the death of his father - due to Tadg - by threatening a war or fight a duel if he refused. Tadg offered him Almu Hill, his home in compensation and Finn agreed.

Love life

Finn met his famous wife Sadbh, while hunting. She had been transformed into a hound. Finn, Bran and Sceolang, who had also been men before, felt it was human, and Finn spared it. She transformed back into a gorgeous woman. After their marriage, she fell pregnant fast. However, Iron Doirich resurfaced , transforming her again into a stag , and Sadbh disappeared. Seven years passed before Finn found his son.

In one of the most famous stories of the cycle, the supreme king of Ireland promised to Finn his older daughter, but Gráinne fell in love with another, Fianna, and the couple fled with their Finn kits. Lovers were helped by the father- Diarmud. Thereafter, Finn forgave the couple. Years later, however, Finn invited Diarmuid to a boar hunt, in which Diarmuid was severely injured by a bewitched boar. Finn, having the power to heal whoever he wanted, made him drink water from his hands. Finn took water, but deliberately let it flow before reaching the mouth of his rival. Under the pressure of Oisín and his little son , he was forced to give water to Diarmuid , but it was too late to prevent him from dying.

Allan.